Phone Comparisons: OnePlus 2 vs LG G5

Do we have a good one for you today – the OnePlus 2 flagship goes up against the new LG G5. Both devices had a solid build and look every bit the part of a premium smartphone, although the metal body on the LG G5 is hard to pass up. Certainly, the newer LG G5 has higher specifications than those found in the OnePlus 2…but when it comes to the price difference, does the OnePlus 2 have enough to persuade a buyer to select it over the LG G5? Specifications are nice, but so is money in your pocket and with a price difference of about $300, the OnePlus 2 takes on a whole new light for those buyers just looking for a good, solid smartphone without a bunch of bells and whistles. First, we will see what these two devices have in common and then we will look at each individual device and go into more detail.

The OnePlus 2 and LG G5 are about the same size, with the OnePlus 2 coming in slightly larger and heavier by 16 grams. Their displays are approximately the same size – 5.5-inches on the OnePlus 2 and 5.3-inches on the LG G5, using the same IPS LCD technology, but different resolutions. Both OnePlus and LG turned to Qualcomm for a 64-bit Snapdragon processor, but each uses a different model. They both pack 64GB of internal memory and 4GB of DDR4 RAM. Both have most of the usual suspects – WiFi, Bluetooth (v4.1 in the OnePlus 2 and v4.2 in the LG G5), GPS, fingerprint sensor and a microUSB Type-C port for charging and data transfer. The big omission here is that OnePlus yanked the NFC out of the ‘2,’ so there will be no mobile payments.

Please take a deliberate look at the detailed Specifications Comparison chart below and here you will see just how these two great devices stack up against one another – click on the “View Full Comparison” link at the end of the chart to expand the details. After that, we will look at each individual device in greater detail and point out some of its pros and cons. From all of this information we will try to determine the winner based on specs and execution of design and functions.

OnePlus is all about building a quality smartphone at a low price and OnePlus always impresses us with their build quality. It is even more evident in the OnePlus 2 with its solid metal frame and trim, but they built their “Flagship Killer,” as they like to call the OnePlus 2, at such a low price it was necessary to cut some corners to get that price so low. OnePlus must be careful in their selection of what to leave out and what to include in the design. OnePlus still used the same FHD display and the same size camera they did last year, and they did add an extra 1GB of RAM, a fingerprint sensor and increased the battery size from 3100 mAh to 3300 mAh, but they made a mistake when they decided to remove the NFC capabilities.

The OnePlus 2 sports a 5.5-inch LTPS LCD FHD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and 401 pixels-per-inch (PPI) versus the 5.3-inch IPS LCD QHD display on the LG G5 with 554 PPI. OnePlus chose the Qualcomm 64-bit Snapdragon 810 octa-core processor and they slightly underclocked it to 1.56 GHz and 1.82 GHz to keep it cooler. This goes up against the new 64-bit Snapdragon 820 quad-core processor in the LG G5. The OnePlus 2 packs 4GB of DDR4 RAM and 64GB of non-expandable storage. The LG G5 packs 4GB of DDR4 RAM with 64GB of internal storage with room for an extra 2TB via a microSD card.

The camera in the OnePlus 2 uses an improved 13MP sensor from the OnePlus One. They improved it by adding larger pixels, laser autofocus, a dual-tone LED flash, a f/2.0 aperture and OIS. This goes up against a reworked main camera area on the LG G5 with a 16MP sensor along with an 8MP wide-angle lens. For the front-facing camera (FFC), the OnePlus 2 uses a 5MP sensor while the LG G5 includes an 8MP camera for selfies or video chatting. The OnePlus 2 increased the non-removable battery size from 3000mAh to 3300mAh and it goes up against a slightly smaller, although removable, 2800mAh battery in the LG G5.

Notes on the OnePlus 2 – The fingerprint sensor can unlock the phone, but nothing else…no Android Pay nor does any mobile purchases because it lacks NFC. It runs OnePlus’ own OS called OxygenOS over stock Android Lollipop 5.1. LTE bands will work on AT&T and T-Mobile networks with the OnePlus 2 and will cost you about $349 (recently reduced from $389) for the 64GB model and there are optional backings you can buy to customize your device – Kevlar, Black Apricot, Bamboo and Rosewood.

LG G5

The new LG G5 is totally different from the device it is replacing, the LG G4. There were enough leaks we could see the all-metal body was a given and we knew that G5 would have an awesome camera, but LG G5’s real innovation are the modules the device can use. By pushing in a button on the lower side, you can slide out the battery and slide in different modules. There was the promise of many types of modules down the road, and if these come to fruition, it could be signs of future smartphone designs. One available now adds a larger battery and camera controls – it makes taking pictures easier by giving you a bulge to grab and offering up physical camera controls. Another one adds a B&O sound module that you can plug-in your headset for awesome sound. LG kept its built-in IR Blaster and LG finally added a fingerprint sensor where the rear set of buttons used to reside. The sensor clicks inward and acts as an on/off switch, but the volume controls return to the side of the device. LG also followed Google’s lead by starting to use the Type-C microUSB port on the G5.

The LG G5 sports a 5.3-inch IPS LCD QHD display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels and 554 PPI that is slightly smaller than the OnePlus 2’s 5.5-inch IPS LCD FHD display and 401 PPI. The brains come from the newest Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 quad-core processor with 4GB of DDR4 RAM and 32GB of internal memory, expandable to 2TB via a microUSB card. This goes up against the OnePlus 2’s Snapdragon 810 octa-core processor with 4GB of DDR4 RAM and 64GB of internal memory with no means to expand.

LG made big changes in the G5’s camera area by taking the excellent 16MP sensor from the LG G4 with an aperture of f/1.8, adding another 8MP wide-angle sensor with a f/2.4 for dual cameras with laser autofocus, 3-axis OIS and an LED flash. They added new software and retained the 8MP FFC from the G4 for selfies and video chatting. This goes up against the impressive OnePlus 2 camera area that uses a 13MP sensor and a 5MP FFC. LG decreased the removable battery size from the 3000mAh found on the LG G4 to 2800mAh, with quick charge capabilities – although loses its optional wireless charging due to the metal case. This goes up against the OnePlus 2’s larger, non-removable, 3300mAh battery.

The LG G5 gains the always-on display, has a built-in IR Blaster and FM Radio. It measures 149.4 x 73.9 x 7.7 mm, weighs in at 159 grams and comes in Silver, Titan, Gold and Pink. It should be available in April, with Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and Best Buy. It will be running Android 6.0 with LG’s UX skin on top. Pricing will probably be around $650.

…And The Winner Is…

Summary

Okay, anyway you look at it, the LG G5 is the clear winner when it comes to specifications and technology, but the OnePlus 2 is not to be dismissed so easily with its $349 price tag. The new LG G5 is a true flagship device with its always-on QHD display, Snapdragon 820 processor, 4GB of DDR4 RAM, expandable storage, NFC, dual cameras with advanced software, IR Blaster, FM radio, removable battery and interchangeable modules.

However, the device for the masses may be the OnePlus 2 – the FHD display is all most people need, the Snapdragon 810 is no slouch and the OnePlus 2 has 4GB of DDR4 RAM. It has a decent enough camera and if you are comfortable with 64GB of fixed storage, there is no need to fret about the fact there is no expansion. Most users never use the IR Blaster or FM radios in their devices when so many stream their music. The OnePlus 2’s biggest drawbacks are the lack of NFC and mobile payments, but if you do not plan on using your device for Android Pay or mobile payments, no worries. The second drawback for some – the LTE bands are only on AT&T and T-Mobile.

As you can see, the LG G5 and OnePlus 2 are both winners – it just depends on if you are an average user and happy with the few limitations of the OnePlus 2 or if you demand the best, which the LG G5 is in this comparison.